Copy-holder.



E. H. & L. C, GRAY.

COPY HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, IBIZ- 1,222,282. Patented Apr. 10,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEEI' l.

E. H. & L. C. GRAY.

COPY HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7. 19:2.

Patented Apr. 10,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. H. & L. C. GRAY. COPY HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-7,1912- 1,222,282., Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

invrrn srarns raivr which.

ERLO H. GRAY AND LEON C. GRAY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

COPY-HOLDER.

Application filed February 7, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, f'lnLo H. GRAY and LnoN C. GRAY, citizens of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Copy-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to provide an improved device for holding copy from which a stenographer or clerk may be transscribing.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved device in connection therewith for indicating the particular line from which the clerk may at all times be copying.

Another object of our invention is to carry the copy on a movable platen or support.

Another object of our invention is to pro vide mechanism by which said plate may be advanced progressively step by step.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved clutch mechanism by which said advancement may be secured.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved device for releasing the plate, permitting it to return to its original position.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved construction that will facilitate the ready setting up and taking down of our copy holder.

Another object of our invention is to com bine therewith a device for holding a light by which the copy on the copy holder and the typewriter may be illuminated.

Another object of our invention is to so construct the copy holder that it will accommodate itself to a desk on which an ordinary typewriter has been placed.

Another object of our invention is to provide a folding plate for the copy holder, on abling the copy holder to be stored away in a comparatively small space.

These and other objects of our invention will be fully illustrated in thedrawings, de-

scribed in the specification and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved copy holder mounted on a desk with the attachments therefor.

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the copy holder shown in Fig. 1.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented. Apr. 114), 1991.7, i

Serial No. 676,020.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the connection between the base of the copy holder and one of the supporting brackets for the operating mechanism.

Fig. 4: is a detail elevation of the upright support for the copy holder, with the platen omitted therefrom.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the upright support and the traveler to which the platen of the copy holder is attached, the platen being partly broken away to show the clutch between the traveler and the upright support, the clutch being released.

Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig. 5, the clutch being shown engaged.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the upright support and the traveler, showing the relation between the parts. v

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8 8 of Fig. 4, showing only the upright support.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of one of the supporting brackets of the operating mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a cross section on the line 1O ---10 of Fig. 4.

11 is a cross section on the line 11 11 of Fig. 4..

In the drawings reference numeral 1 indicates the table or desk on which the copy holder may be placed conveniently with reference to the typewriter which may be used in connection therewith. Bemovably fastened to the table is the base 2 upon which the copy holder is supported. has the slot 3 at one end thereof which engages with the pin 4 set in the table 1, on which may be provided a thumb screw 5 between which and the table 1 the base may be conveniently clamped. The forward end 6 of the support is provided with a finger 7 as illustrated in Fig. 3. Mounted transversely to the support, as shown in Fig. 2, is the operating crank shaft 8 which is mounted. to oscillate in the bracket 9 at its rear end and in the bracket 10 at its forward end. This bracket 9 is provided with a recess 11 with which engages the finger 7 on the base 2, by which the base. is firmly held in position at its forward end. A spring 12 is carried on the bracket 9, which engages the forward end 6 of the support and by which it is firmly held in the position shown in Fig. 2. The crank shaft 8 at its forward end has the crank or handle 13 thereon by This platewhich it is operated, and at its rear end has the crank 14 thereon by which it in turn communicates its motion to the traveler of the copy holder, as will presently be described.

On the base 2 and integral therewith is mounted the upright support 15, which support is shown in rear perspective elevation in Fig. 2. Rigidly fastened to the upright 15 is the channel member 16. Mounted to reciprocate in this channel member is the link 17 which is connected at its lower end to the lever 18, fulcrumed at 19 on the base 2. This link is preferably made of sheet metal and is beaded as indicated at 20 for the purpose of increasing the stiflness of it, and is also provided with the projections 56, 56 which normally engage with the channel member 16 and by which the link is held in place when the platen and the traveler 26 are removed from the channel member. At the top the cam plates 21 and 22 are bent up thereon, and across the top is bent up the guiding and retaining flange 23. The top of the link 17 is perforated at 24 for a purpose that will presently be described.

Riveted to the platen 25 is the traveler 26. This traveler is bent up out of sheet metal to the form of a channel as is illustrated in cross section in Figs. 10 and 11, and travels in the channel member 16 and is moved upward therein step by step and held in its successive positions by mechanism which I am now about to describe.

Located between the cams 21 and and the flanges 27 and 28 of the traveler are the rollers 29 and 30 shown in Figs. 4 and 11. As the link 17 moves up the cams 21 and 22 at the top thereof press the rollers 29 and 30 outward against the flanges 27 and 28 of the traveler, clutching them and causing the link 17, the rollers 29 and 30 and the traveler 26 to move up together. As the traveler has the plate riveted thereto, the plate moves up with it as well.

Mounted in the channel member 16 is the friction plate 32 shown in front elevation in Fig. 12 and in section in Fig. 8. This plate 32 is loosely riveted to the channel member 16 by the rivets 33, 33. The plate is bent up on the line of these rivets so as to rock around them as a support. At the lower end the plate is provided with the outwardly projecting feet 34, 34 which normally bear against the flanges 35, 35 in the channel member 16. A blade spring 36 is riveted to the plate 32 at 37, which spring normally presses the plate 32 out at the bottom and holds its feet 34, 34 in engagement with the flanges 35, 35 of the channel member 16. Between these feet 34, 34 and the flanges 35, 35 of the channel member 16 passes the traveler 26. The spring 36 presses the feet 34, 34 out against the traveler 26 and causes sufficient friction between said feet and said traveler to normally hold the traveler and platen and the copy that may be thereon in an elevated position.

When the link 17 is operated to raise the traveler 26 through the roller clutch, it raises the traveler against the friction of the presser feet 34, 34, and when the link 17 and the rollers drop, the traveler 26 remains in its elevated position. A spring 57 is also provided at the bottom of the traveler, which spring has a frictional engagement with the flanges of the channel member 16, engaging therewith on the outside, and when the traveler is lifted it is against the frictional resistance of this spring as well. This spring however is useful in retarding the downward movement of the traveler and platen when it is released, as will be presently described, causing it to drop slowly rather than to drop too suddenly, so that when the traveler 26 strikes the bufier 58 at the bottom, it strikes it with a light blow with comparatively little noise rather than with a heavy blow and a loud noise.

It will be understood that the full stroke of the link is never more than half an inch and can be as much less as is desired, so that the traveler and platen are raised through successive steps of half an inch or less, at the end of each of which steps they are held in their elevated position by means of the frictional engagement above described.

It will also be understood that as soon as the link 17 has been returned and the rollers 29 and 30 have fallen back into fresh engagement therewith, the clutch between the link and the traveler is reestablished, preventing the falling of the traveler in case there is any tendency for it to sink down.

This reengagement of the clutch would normally prevent the return of the traveler and platen, and to permit the return of the traveler and platen, the clutch must be first thrown out of engagement, and the presser feet should preferably be rendered idle or inoperative. The manner by which this result is accomplished I will now describe.

Mounted in the channel member 16 are the stationary pins or supports 38 and 39, located immediately under the rollers 29 and 30. These pins are for the purpose of limiting the downward travel of the rollers when the link 17 is drawn down an excessive amount for the purpose of disengaging the cams 21 and 22 from the rollers. This downward movement may be communicated to the link 17 by raising the crank 13. The link 17 is normally held against this downward movement as follows:

At the top the link 17 has the opening of the spring 36 presses the plate 32 to the right at the bottom in 8, and to the left at the top, causing the top of the plate 32 to bear heavily against the link 17, holding it up thereby. hen however the crank 13 is lifted, the link 17 is positively forced down, a moderate force being suiiicient to draw it down against the resistance of the plate 353 and spring 86, causing the plate 32 to be rocked forward at the top, as shown in Fig. 8, around the centers 33, 33, drawing the feet away from the traveler 26, which permits the traveler and the platen attached hereto to drop by gravity. The downward movement of the link 17 also draws the cams 21 and 22 away from the rollers and 9, which rollers being limited in their do ward movement by the pins 39 and 38 as above described, cannot reengage between the cams and the traveler and clutch them so as to interfere with the downward movement of the traveler. This return of the traveler and the platen can be secured at any time regardless of the elevation at wl'iich they may at that time be held.

A tension spring 41 is provided attached to the linl 1'? at one end and to the channel member 16 at the other end, which normally draws the link 1,? down, holdingit firmly against the plate 32 at the top. This spring however is strong enough to compress the spring 36, which must be done by the crank 13, so that between the springs d1 and 36 the link normally stands in position in which it can always uit the traveler and platen, and does not interfere with the operation of the clutch and the spring to hold the traveler and platen up.

@n the top of the channel member 16 is pivotally mounted the wire loop 42. the top of the channel member 16 being rolled over to form the bearing for the ends of the wire which form this loop. lhis loop is rectangular in shape and completely surrounds the platen. @n its upper edge it carries the marking strip 43 which is preferably made of sheet metal and is bent snugly around the wire forming the loop so as to maintain firm frictional engagement therewith, by which it is held in any position in which it may be placed. Coiled around the lower side of the loop 42 is the torsion spring 4.4 which is anchored in the channel member 16 at the middle and which is coiled around the lower ends of the loop 4-2, tending by its torsion to always hold the loop up firmly against the platen in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The loop carries the line indicator by which the consecutive lines of the copy are successively marked in the upward travel of the platen. lhe flexibility of the spring permits t re yielding of the loop so as to insert or remove the copy from the platen, and the torsion of the spring also keeps the marker pressed firmly against the paper, holding it firmly against the platen and preventing it from bulging therefrom, as it apt to do in the case of the ordinary shorthand book.

The copy is fastened to the top of the platen by means of the spring pressed wire loops 15 and L6. The platen is made of two parts which are pivoted on each other on "he line indicated at 415?, the two parts being locked together by the wire'bolts .8 and i9 which en age with ferrules on. the edges of the sections of the platen. These features of the platen however are fully illustrated and described in a co-pending application.

0n the back of the platen we provide a pivoted spring pressed rod which holds the paper that would otherwise project above the upper end of the platen down irmly in position when turned down over the platen. The linger hold 51 or handle thereto permits the easy movement of the rod 50 away from the back of the platen so as to insert thepaper between the rod 50 and the platen, enabling the operator to adjust the paper on the back of the platen by working it at the front thereof.

The crank 18 is provided with an elongated slot 52 with which engages the pin carried on the crank 14:, by which easy ongagement is afforded between the cranks 14; 18, the pin 53 passing into engagement with the slot 52 when the finger 7 is en gaged with the recess 11.

U11 the crank 13 we provide a set screw 54;, by which the downward movement of the crank 18 is limited. On the rod 8 we also provide the bearing socket plate which is mounted to slide along the shaft 8 and from which may be supported the stand ard on which can be carried an incandescent lamp. if desired we can make the bearings 9 and 10 integral with each other, using a single casting or other suitable device for this purpose, which casting may also embody a socket for incandescent lamp, as above described.

It is obvious that many changes in the details of our invention without departing from the spirit of it, may be made. For instance, a ball clutch may be substituted for the roller clutch; the length and shape of the cams may be varied at will; the length of the platen and. the number of sections in which it is made may also be changed, together with many other variations that will naturally suggest themselves to theordinary mechanic.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and patentable is as follows:

1. In a copy holder, the combination of ,an upright channel, a traveler working therein, spring pressed friction devices supported in said channel for retaining said traveler at any desired height in said channel, means for releasing the frictional engagement between said spring pressed devices and said traveler to permit the clownward movement of the traveler, a friction spring carried on said traveler and engaging with said channel, by which the clownward movement of said traveler is retarded.

2. The combination in a copy holder of a support, a traveler mounted to move thereon, said traveler having the shape of a channel,

a link reciprocating on said support, cams at the upper end thereof, rollers placed between said cams and the channeled sides of said traveler, said rollers being clutched between said cams and the traveler upon each upward movement of the link, causing the link, rollers and the traveler to move upward in unison.

3. The combination in a copy holder of a support, a traveler mounted to move thereon, said traveler having the shape of a channel, a link reciprocating on said support, cams at the upper end thereof, rollers placed between said cams and the channeled sides of said traveler, said rollers being clutched between said cams and the traveler upon each upward movement of the link, causing the link, rollers and the traveler to move upward in unison, pins carried on said support on which said rollers may rest when the link is depressed, said pins making said clutch inoperative and permitting the downward movement of the traveler.

4. In a copy holder, the combination of a channeled support, a link for reciprocating therein, projections on the sides of said link for engaging with the channeled sides of said support, by which said link is held in position, a pivoted friction device on said channeled support normally pressing against the flanges of said channel, a cam on said link for engaging with said friction device and moving it out of contact with said flanges.

5. In a copy holder, the combination of a channeled support, a link for reciprocating therein, projections on the sides of said link for engaging with the channeled sides of said support, by which said link is held in position, a pivoted friction device on said channeled support normally pressing against the flanges of said channel, a cam on said link for engaging with said friction device and moving it out of contact with said flanges, means for moving said link abnormally to move said friction devices away from said flanges.

6. In a copy holder, the combination of a support, a plate pivotally mounted on said support, a link mounted to reciprocate along said support and having a cam thereon engaging with said plate, a spring pressing said plate in one direction to hold said plate against movement by said cam and cause the plate to support the link. a

7. In a copy holder, the combination of a support, a plate pivotally mounted on said support, a link mounted to reciprocate along said support and having a cam thereon engaging with said plate, a spring pressing said plate in one direction to hold said plate against movement by said cam and cause the plate to support the link, said link being capable of being depressed for the purpose of causing the cam thereon to rock said plate.

8. The combination in a copyholder of a support, a traveler mounted to move thereon, a link reciprocating on said support, cams at the upper end of said link, rollers placed between said cams and said traveler, said rollers being clutched between said cams and the traveler upon each upward movement of the link, causing the link, rollers and traveler to move upward in unison, projections carried on said support on which said rollers may rest when the link is abnormally depressed, said projections making such clutch inoperative and permitting the downward movement of the traveler.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ERLO H. GRAY. LEON C. GRAY. Witnesses:

LENA M. ASH, ERIC Isorrnvonn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

